The escape artist
by number2stormhawkfan
Summary: Anna was just an ordinary 21 century girl until one mysterious day she gets sent to the time of Robin hood.Horrified by what she sees Anna creates an alias to help people and a reputation for being able to escape anything but is reluctant to help the gang
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first Robin Hood fanfic. Its a bit rough but I hope to smooth it out as I go along. I do not own Robin Hood if I did I wouldn't be writing fanfiction and I'd know the cast which would be awesome! And please no complaining about OCs! I like OCs, Please read and review, you don't have to be kind but DON'T DIS THE OCS. Enjoy...or not:)**

I wasn't always this um...reckless. A while ago I had goals and indoor plumbing.

So I'm guessing you want to know what happened how I ended up in the time of Robin hood. To think historians were unsure whether Robin hood was actually a real person or not and now I'm in his world, his awful world. The truth is I don't know. I was just writing a paper for history. Then suddenly I was in the middle of a field surrounded by what looked like some kind of middle ages reenactment. Maybe I should start from the beginning, something like telling you my name would probably be good.

My name's Anna Scarlett and this is my story.

The truth was, I was supposed to be writing a paper but I wasn't. I laid on my sofa testing my lock picks again. They were long narrow and silver. All eight of them had a different purpose for one overall purpose, getting out. The lock clicked open easily. I wrapped them up and put them aside. I turned the TV on and flipped through all of the channels. Suddenly the TV's screen turned to static and black and white dots. It was one of those old tube telivisions that you can get at yard sales for something like eight bucks so I wasn't surprised. I turned it off and pried myself off the couch. I passed by my little old rolltop desk on the way to the kitchen.

I looked out the window at the city. I opened it and watered the wilting flowers on the window box. The clock ticked...it sounded way too slow. I admit it I was bored, bored out of my mind. Mom wasn't home, she was supposed to be taking Gracie to her open house.

Suddenly I heard a knock at the door. I really hoped it was one of my friends or the nieghbor asking me to babysit, ANYTHING. I opened the door to see an odd looking man staring at me well oddly. He was dressed in bright orange bloomers (I think that's what you call them) and these weird green robes with a purple turban on his head. He was obviously middle eastern and at least seventy.

"Uh...may I help you?" I asked him without opening the door all the way.

"No, but I help you" He said his English a bit choppy.

"Um excuse me?" I asked. "Do you want my Mom or something?"

Had this man had a little too much to drink or something?

"I help you" He paused "You see, you see"

"No I don't see" I said frowning "Do you know anyone I can call, you seem a bit confused"

"You see you see" He said again "When you see the red water you may go home"

I looked at him again. Did he have all timers or something? What did he mean I can go home? I am home! And there's no such thing as red water, water is clear or blue or even green or white but not red.

"You ill see" He said.

"Oh you're saying you'll see!" I said "Okay is there anyone I should call for you?"

"No, no me fine" He said hobbling away "Me fine"

I closed the door slowly. Wow that was weird. How many people have had old Middle eastern crazy people at you're door? I guess that's what to expect for having an apartment in Austin Texas. I mean this is one of the coolest cities in America but there are alot of weirdos. Keep Austin Weird everybody!

I went to bed early that night. And no if anyone's asking I didn't finish the stupid paper. I have a few days anyway and often times its easy for me to write them. That night I had the strangest dream.

I was in the woods wandering. I knew I was lost. I felt like I had been lost forever. I looked around but there was no path, the sky suddenly got dark and I couldn't see a thing.

I woke up gasping.

Something was wrong. I looked around. I wasn't in my bed in my room, I was in a field surrounded by mud and wimpy looking plants. The air was cold but not unpleasant. I looked down at myself. I wasn't wearing my pajamas anymore. Instead I was wearing this long black kind of scratchy dress or tunic. I felt my hair. It didn't have red streaks in it like I dyed it. It was just plain brown now. And it was wavy and went down to my lower back. I hadn't let it get that long or even go wavy in years. It was strange, and different but not altogether unpleasant. I felt my face. It was still the same and I still had swoop bangs. I felt my hair. I had layers still just more and they were farther apart.

"Are you alright?" I heard a boy with a heavy British accent.

Can this day get any freakier? I might as well play the dumb confused maybe injured girl.

"I don't...know, I think I hit my head a bit too hard" I said rubbing it accordingly.

I looked up at him squinting in the sunlight. He was a tall boy no older than probably sixteen. He had dark hair and brown eyes.

"Oh...you should probably come in then"

You don't say? Of course I didn't say anything to that. I half pretended to struggle to get up. The dress helped the act because I don't think I've worn a dress since I was eight and that was eight years ago. That is almost a decade. I struggled up and walked towards him trying not to act cautious. He thought I was injured so if he tried anything I know judo and karate.

"Do you need help? Its a bit far to the village" He said kindly.

"No, no" I said "I can still walk"


	2. Chapter 2

I rubbed my head. I sat on the pallet in the boy's poorly lit cottage. I could see everything, just not very well. My head did hurt a little but certainly not enough to act this way over. But playing weak and venerable does have its advantages. Especially when you have absolutely no idea where you are.

"So what's your name?" I asked the boy.

"Luke" He replied shortly, giving me a small chunk of bread.

"No thank you I'm not hungry" I said giving it back to him.

He looked very skinny and the cottage was pretty dirty and tiny. It looked like the middle ages. Assuming the worst I have somehow been sucked back in time and I should just play along to anything anyone says. I read a lot of Sifi and fantasy so this wouldn't be much of an issue. Sure I'm freaking out on the inside, but I'm calm cool and somewhat confused on the outside. Actually that's an understatement, I was on the verge of screaming crying panicking throwing myself against the wall. Yet I stayed calm and quiet. Honestly I don't feel like going to the Medieval equvilantof a mental hospital. Nor do I want to be hanged or burned as a heretic. Actually dying maiming or imprisonment in general does not sound appealing.

"Do you have a last name?" I asked.

"Scarlett" He said "And you are..?"

"Anna Scarlett" I said raising my eyebrows.

It was probably just a coincidence that we have the same last name, I mean nothing weird there, right? There are thousands of Annas in the world so there must be a few Scarletts.

"How did you hit your head?" Luke asked leaning against the doorway, blocking out even more light from the small room.

I thought about it for a moment. I needed a story and quick. I'm not a liar by habit but I think I'm okay at it given enough time to build it but I don't have enough time.

"I um...I don't remember exactly" I said liking my explanation "Its all kinda a blur" I continued "Somehow I ended up in the field, I don't even know where I am!"

"Scarborough" He said listlessly.

Thank god this was in the history book! Ha I'm in England somewhere round the crusades ...or during the crusades. That meant that the nearest large town at that time was Nottingham, or Locksley. Wow I think I spent way too much time on that. On the bright side I got an A but I guess that's beside the point.

"Ah thanks" I said looking around a bit.

There was some kind of dead thing hanging from the ceiling. I think it was a deer but it was too multilated for me to tell at this point.

"Um isn't it illegal to have that?" I asked.

"Yes but we're forced to poach otherwise we starve" Luke said defensively.

"Easy there, never minded rule breaking" I said.

"You're accent's odd where're you from?" He demanded.

"Where does it sound like I'm from?" I asked defensively "I'm from Ireland you git" I let a bit of the accent slide into my voice.

That wasn't a full lie. I lived there with my aunt for several months and I was technically born there after Mom thought she could go on vacation while she was ready to pop. Ha long story. Plus I could fully immitate a believable irish accent from any part of Ireland. I have a lot of free time obviously.

"Ah" Luke said dully.

"Now if you excuse me, I'm feeling alot better" I said getting up "Still bit shaky but I'll survive"

"Where you headin?" Luke asked "And why are you going alone?"

"I'm heading to Nottingham and I'm alone because there is no one else to go with, I'm not exactly weak or stupid...well maybe a bit stupid, but I'm still perfectly capable of getting myself somewhere without any accompaniment...did I answer you're question?" I asked rather irritatedly.

"Yeah but why?"

"Eh I don't know need a goal in life"

"That place is awful"

"I've heard stories" I said uninterested.

"My Father was murdered there" He said.

That caught my attention but I continued to act as if I wasn't interested.

"And mine fell off a building" I said shrugging. "Sorry bout your father have any other family?"

"My brother works against the goverment for Robin Hood there" He said obviously cross.

Now there was something interesting. Robin Hood was actually real here? Awesome. I mean I might meet the outlaw of outlaws while in or around Nottingham. The Sherwood forest sounds like a good area to reside...I'm not an outlaw but I don't think I'll easily fit in.

"Ah Robin Hood" I said sarcastically "So many stories, he's so flashy we here about him honestly I don't think its a good idea to boast that your brother's with him to every other person you meet if you know what I mean"

Luke turned bright red. I knew he was offended by this.

"Easy easy didn't mean to offend you" I said walking past him and out the door.

"At least take some bread its a couple of days by forest road to Nottingham" Luke said tossing a loaf at me.

I caught it.

"Thank you for your generocity" I said gratefully. "And I should go before I break something"

I stashed it in a leather bag that was on me. Surprisingly it had jerky looking meat at the bottom and a large purse of coins. I took a small coin from it and tossed it too him. Luke caught it looking at it closely.

"This is enough for several loaves of bread" He said doubtfully.

"Consider it a gift" I said dully.

I wandered down the winding road from the village. I didn't look back. I didn't really pay attention to it. I just knew where to go. Or should I say where I wanted and was compelled to go. I don't know why I just wanted to go there. I needed a few goals to keep me alive here until I can figure out how to leave this hellhole we call Medieval England. Oh...I just stepped in crap.


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm getting a total lack of reviews here:( Not happy. Most of my posts will not come up as frequently but I had sudden inspiration for this one. This time I will wait til I have five reviews before I update again. **

I'm not going to bore you with the details of one of the most uneventful three day long walks ever, so I think I'll skip that part.

Over the time that I have been walking I figured out what I had. I had eight long narrow throwing daggers, twenty throwing stars (freaking awesome huh?) twelve different sizes of iron and silver lock picks several smoke bombs, lots of jerky and twenty pounds mainly in smaller coins. I could hide everything under my dress without hurting myself because I had leggings. Although I still found the stupid long black dress extremely annoying. I bought a cloak from another peasant along the way, so that I covered my head and looked inconspicious.

Nottingham was interesting. I didn't really know what I was expecting, but I'd prefer it without the screaming. There were guards all around making me feel claustraphobic, the walls didn't help with that at all. The castle was what I expected. It was pretty formidable and dark. It just gave off the air of people die in here, and other people cause it. This made me sick. Peasants were beat and thrown around like rag dolls and when one resisted a swarm of guards would come over and 'silence' them. Either that or they were dragged into the castle while they're screaming about their starving sons and daughters.

I was pretending to look at bread in the marketplace when I heard an old woman scream. My head automatically whipped around and I saw a guard trying to rip a pouch from her gnarled shaking hands. I didn't know what made me do it. Suddenly there was a dagger stuck between the armor and the man fell over...dead. Several other guards started swarming her, trying to see how she had murdered the guard.

On a sudden impulse I ran towards them knocking them over in turn. Somehow I knew how to knock out fully armed men with one kick or punch. It hurt my gloved hands and my leg but I didn't care.

"Here" I said giving her the purse "Take this home quickly before they wake up"

The woman hugged me of all things and ran in the other direction. I had a feeling that I should run towards the gate. I followed that feeling and ran, my hood sliding down as I went. As soon as I was outside the gate I ran down the road and into the woods. Well it was more like a brisk jog considering how far I had to run. In the woods I leaned up against a tree trying to catch my breath. Out of this I got my idea...

Third person (not really any specific character)

When an elderly woman was attacked this mysterious girl came to the rescue. No one but Will and Robin noticed the tiny dagger and when the girl actually went over there she knocked out at least four guards. Both she and the woman got away. Robin had actually given the woman the money in the first place. They had been running towards her but the girl got to her first. Then she ran out the gate with the guards losing her in the crowd.

"That was interesting" Robin said chuckling.

"Wonder who just made themself an outlaw" Will said thoughtfully.

"I don't know but she'll have no issues in the forest that lass could kick" Robin said laughing "Now come along"

My view again! Some time later...

I got into the dungeon pretty easily. I traded myself with an elderly woman chained to a guard in a black cloak. I just clicked open the handcuffs and told her to go. I wouldn't have had time to get away anyway. I was dragged down to the dungeon which was indeed full of families. I was thrown into a cell that had two small children, a mother and a crying baby. I crowded myself into a corner glaring at the warden.

"Here let me" I said reaching out towards the baby.

The woman handed the baby to me gratefully and I calmed her. At least I think it was a her. I'm just going to go with her.

"Lad or lass?" I asked rocking her.

"Lass" The woman answered weakly.

Yes I was right!

"What's her name?" I asked.

"Anne" The woman said softly.

"She's a beautiful baby" I said stroking her.

The woman turned and smiled at me. But it was a sad broken sort of smile. Her two boys huddled around her frightened.

"Everything's going to be alright" I said confidently.

"What are you the escape artist or something?" The warden asked maligantly "Just shut up!"

"What if I refuse to shut up?" I asked.

Yeah that pretty much gave me away. The warden gasped and ran. He probably heard that I snapped the last warden's neck while behind bars. I don't know whether it was that or posioning the air around some guards. I gave the baby back to her mother and she started crying again.

"So you are the escape artist?" The man in the cell next to me asked.

"Yes so do as I say and hopefully all of us will get out"

"I'm all ears"

"No hesitation about being led by a female?" I asked "Wow that's rare"

"Eh just get us out" He said quietly.

"Good answer" I said thinking. "We have about thirty minutes until anyone of any status or power notices the warden's babbling about something so...aha!" I paused "Do you happen to know anything about locks?"

"My Father was a carpenter so yes" He said "Why?"

I pulled up my skirt and took out several picks. I sorted through them attempting to find the right sizes.

"Here" I gave a large one and a small one to him.

"They didn't search you for these?" He talking them.

He was looking them over with a critical eye. They're the best but obviously he didn't assume that straight away.

"They searched me but they were too modest to be too through" I said dully "Unlock your cell and as many others as you can, I'll do the same then attempt to gather everyone in an orderly fashion, then I'll create several diversions while you get everyone out, there's alot of holes in this plan but with a little luck which I often lack, most of the woman and children will get out"


End file.
